The Youngstown State University Foundation hosted a luncheon this week to honor three YSU students who were each awarded $1,000 scholarships from the Mahoning Valley National Electrical Contractors Association.
Nicholas Gealy, from Fowler, Ethan Parks, from Greenford, and Alayne Magni from Poland were this year’s scholarship winners. Gealy and Parks are electrical engineering technology majors, while Magni is studying forensic science.
Member electrical contractors in the local NECA chapter contribute to an endowment that funds the annual scholarships.
Parks and Gealy are officers in YSU’s student MVNECA chapter, a group of students who’ve fared well nationally in a student Green Energy Challenge competition – finishing first overall in 2012 and first in the poster competition this year.
“The student chapter has been recognized on a national scale, and YSU’s electrical engineering technology program has developed a national reputation thanks to their accomplishments,” said Jeff Barber, vice president and principal at VEC, Inc. in Girard, Ohio.
Three YSU scholarship winners were honored at a luncheon hosted by the YSU Foundation and attended by Mahoning Valley NECA contractors, Foundation staff and YSU faculty. Pictured from left to right: (bottom row) Dr. Jalal Jalali (YSU), Alayne Magni (YSU student, scholarship recipient), Ethan Parks (YSU student, scholarship recipient), Dr. Ted Bosela (YSU); (standing) Paul McFadden (YSU Foundation), Tom Travers (Mahoning Valley NECA), Bob Magni (RLM Electric, MVNECA), Bill Leone (Tri-Area Electric, MVNECA), Jeff Barber (VEC, Inc., MVNECA). Nicholas Gealy (YSU student, scholarship recipient) was not present.
“It’s a big deal to have such a solid electrical engineering program in the city of Youngstown,” said Bob Magni, owner of RLM Electric.
Parks, the current president of the student chapter, is working at NECA contractor Joe Dickey Electric as he continues his studies.
“Through my time with the MVNECA student chapter I’ve received mentoring and valuable real-world work experience that’s been a great complement to my academic studies,” Parks said.
On hand at the luncheon from MVNECA to recognize the students were Barber, Magni, Bill Leone from Tri-Area Electric, Tom Travers, MVNECA executive director, and members of YSU’s faculty and Foundation office.